How to Prepare for a Mobile Notary Appointment in Tennessee

What should I have ready before the notary arrives?

Most failed notary visits come down to three problems: a signer is missing, an ID does not qualify, or the document was signed or left incomplete. A short checklist the day before prevents all three.

If you are booking for someone else, such as a parent in a care facility or a client at home, confirm the details with that person directly. The notary will speak to the signer, not to the person who made the booking.

• The complete, unsigned document, with all pages present
• A qualifying photo ID for every signer, checked for expiration
• Every signer in the room at the scheduled time
• Any witnesses the document requires, with their own IDs if the preparer asks for it
• Instructions from the preparer or recipient about which notarial act is needed
• A clear table or desk and enough light to review IDs and sign
• The full appointment address, including unit or suite number and parking notes

What ID does a Tennessee notary accept?

Tenn. Code Ann. § 66-22-106 describes satisfactory evidence of identity. In general, a notary may rely on a Tennessee driver license or ID card issued by the Department of Safety, or a U.S. passport, if the document is current or was issued within the last five years.

Other documents may qualify if they are current or issued within five years and include a photograph, a physical description, the person's signature and a serial or identifying number. The statute lists another state's driver license or ID card, an ID card from a branch of the U.S. armed forces and a foreign passport, with conditions.

The name on the ID should match the name on the document. If it does not, for example after a marriage, ask the preparer whether the document should be corrected, or bring supporting documentation and expect the notary to use judgment. If no qualifying ID is available, the statute also allows a credible witness who is personally known to the notary, which is rarely practical for a mobile visit. Raise ID problems when you book.

Why should I wait to sign until the notary is there?

For a jurat, the signer takes an oath or affirmation and then signs in the notary's presence. A signature made before the visit generally cannot be sworn to after the fact, so the signer will need to sign again, and some recipients will not accept a page with two signatures.

For an acknowledgment, the signer may be able to acknowledge a signature made earlier. Even so, signing in front of the notary removes any doubt. Leave every signature and initial line blank until the notary has checked ID and is ready.

Can the notary help fill in the document?

No. A notary cannot draft, prepare or complete a legal document for the signer, and a notary who is not an attorney cannot give legal advice. Tennessee law, including Tenn. Code Ann. § 8-16-401, limits how non-attorney notaries may hold themselves out.

A notary also should not notarize a document with blanks that are meant to be completed, such as an empty name, date, property description or dollar amount. Fill those in before the appointment, or ask the preparer to do so. Lines that are intentionally left blank can be marked as not applicable if the preparer instructs it.

If you are not sure what the document should say, which version to use or what it will do, stop and ask an attorney. The notary visit is the wrong time to make those decisions.

What if the document needs witnesses?

Some documents require witnesses in addition to, or instead of, a notary. Tennessee wills are the best known example: under Tenn. Code Ann. § 32-1-104, an attested will generally requires at least two witnesses who sign in the testator's presence and in each other's presence. Some powers of attorney, health care documents and real estate forms also call for witnesses, depending on the form and its use.

The notary does not bring witnesses unless that has been arranged and confirmed in advance. Plan for them yourself. Witnesses generally should be adults who are not named in the document and do not benefit from it; the preparer can tell you whether the document has specific witness rules.

Witnesses should arrive before the notary does. A visit that waits on a missing witness may run long or need to be rescheduled.

Can the signer be unwell, elderly or unable to sign normally?

A notary can visit a signer at home, in a hospital or in a care facility, subject to the facility's rules. What matters is that the signer appears in person, can be identified, understands what they are signing and is signing willingly. A notary who has serious doubts about any of those points should decline, and that decision protects the signer.

If the signer cannot write a full signature, tell the preparer before the visit. Some documents and recipients accept a mark or another approach, but that should be decided by the attorney or the receiving party, not improvised at the bedside.

Family members can help with logistics, but they should not answer for the signer. The notary will ask the signer directly whether they understand the document and are signing of their own free will.

Timing helps. If the signer is sharper in the morning, or medication makes them drowsy later in the day, book the earliest business-hours window that works. Let the facility know a notary is coming, confirm the signer's ID is on hand rather than locked in a drawer at home, and make sure a family member is not the only person who can find the document.

How much will a DFS mobile notary visit cost?

DFS uses one formula for every visit: a $65 base fee, plus $1 per mile, plus $12 for each notarized signature. Mileage is billed one way only, not round trip, and the billable miles are confirmed when the appointment is booked.

Signatures are counted individually. Two signers who each sign one document count as two signatures. One signer who signs three separate notarized documents counts as three. If you are unsure how many notarized signatures a packet contains, send the count you see and the notary will confirm it.

The examples below show the arithmetic. They are illustrations only; your quote depends on the confirmed mileage and the actual number of notarized signatures. A rescheduled visit caused by a missing signer or unacceptable ID means a second trip, so the preparation steps above also keep the cost down.

When can a DFS notary come?

DFS mobile notary visits are scheduled during business hours only. Evenings, weekends and after-hours appointments are not offered.

When you book, give the full address, the number of signers, the expected number of notarized signatures, the type of document and a preferred business-hours window when every signer can be present. That lets DFS confirm billable mileage and the fee before the notary is dispatched.

1. Appointment address, unit number and parking or entry instructions
2. Names of all signers, matching their IDs
3. Number of documents and notarized signatures
4. Document type and the notarial act, if the preparer has specified it
5. Whether witnesses are required and who will provide them
6. A preferred business-hours time window

What happens at the appointment?

The notary introduces themselves, reviews each signer's ID and checks that the document is complete. For a jurat, the notary administers the oath or affirmation before the signature. For an acknowledgment, the signer acknowledges executing the document. The notary then completes the certificate, signs it and applies the seal.

Tennessee law requires a notary who charges a fee to keep a record of notarial acts, so the notary will typically record the date, the signer's name, a description of the document and how identity was established. Expect a short visit for a single document and longer for multiple signers or long documents.

When the notary finishes, the signed originals stay with you unless other arrangements were made. If the document must go to a court, a law firm or another office, DFS courier services can be arranged separately.

General information, not legal advice

This guide gives general information about Tennessee notary practice and DFS scheduling as of its publication. It is not legal advice, and Delator Field Services does not provide legal advice, choose notarial certificates or prepare documents. Ask the attorney who prepared your document, or the office that will receive it, about its specific requirements.